Police: Driver charged in fatal York Haven SUV-train crash

Police charged the driver of a vehicle that was struck by a train July 5 in York Haven -- in which a female passenger died -- alleging he was under the influence of marijuana at the time, according to charging documents.

Akim Sharif Jones-Williams, 26, of the first block of Falcon Court, Mechanicsburg, faces numerous charges, including homicide by vehicle while DUI, homicide by vehicle, endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.

Jones-Williams was arraigned before District Judge Scott Gross this morning and was given $25,000 bail. Gross then allowed Jones-Williams time to arrange for bail.

Cori Sisti (Submitted)

About 4:45 p.m. July 5, Jones-Williams was driving a red Mitsubishi Outlander eastbound on a private road, near the 1100 block of Cly Road, police said previously.

The SUV tried to cross a set of railroad tracks and was struck on its passenger side by a northbound train, police said.

Jones-Williams was hospitalized, as was his then-2-year-old child. The child's mother, Cori E. Sisti, 23, of Mechanicsburg, died in the crash, police said.

In charging documents, Newberry Township Police said a witness told them Jones-Williams admitted to smoking marijuana the day of the crash and also said to her "I drove up there eighteen (18) miles high as a kite and nothing happened, so it's not my fault that the train hit our car."

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Newberry Lt. Steve Lutz said that Jones-Williams has not made any direct statements to investigators.

Update at 5:25 p.m. Monday

Cori Sisti died of multiple blunt force injuries, deputy coroner Claude Stabley said. The manner of death is accidental.

Reported earlier today

A Mechanicsburg man is in satisfactory condition at York Hospital, while his 2-year-old child is in critical condition at Hershey Medical Center after the SUV they were in was struck by a train Saturday in York Haven, police said.

Newberry Township Police Sgt. Richard Rocco talks on the phone at the scene of a crash involving a moving Norfolk Southern train and a vehicle carrying three people that took place near Cly Road in Newberry Township on Saturday. A man and child were taken to Hershey Medical Center, while an adult female was confirmed dead at the scene, officials said. (Chris Dunn - York Daily Record/Sunday News)

Police identified the man as Akim S. Jones-Williams. The 2-year-old's mother, Cori E. Sisti, 23, of Mechanicsburg, died in the crash, police said.

About 4:45 p.m. Saturday, the three were in a red Mitsubishi Outlander that was eastbound on a private road, near the 1100 block of Cly Road, police said. The SUV tried to cross a set of railroad tracks and was struck on its passenger side by a northbound train, police said.

On Sunday, Jason Scott, who works at Falls Hotel, located just across from the crash scene, said he and a friend were the first to crash.

"Me and my buddy were the first ones to look into the car," he said. "The man and girl were breathing. She (Sisti) had very faint breathing."

A car is seen on its side along the train tracks near Cly Road in Newberry Township. (Gordon Rago - York Daily Record/Sunday News)

Scott, 29, said he then helped direct medical technicians to the scene and carry the victims out. He also said he had met the victims the night before near the Susquehanna River as people who live in the riverside bungalows were socializing.

"It was just sad," he said of the crash.

Scott added that at one point, there were four medical helicopters that landed at a nearby baseball field. Two of them left with the man and girl, he said.

A lifelong resident of York Haven, Scott also said there's been several collisions on area train tracks over the years.

The SUV's three occupants were traveling to a gathering on the Susquehanna River, Newberry Township Sgt. Richard Rocco said.

The train had left from Lancaster and was heading to Harrisburg. It is 2,903 feet long and weighs 1,506 tons. All 45 of its freight cars were empty, said Dave Pidgeon, manager of public relations with Norfolk Southern Railroad, which owned the train.

Contact Ted Czech at 717-771-2033.

Update: 5:45 a.m. July 6

York County Deputy Coroner Claude Stabley identified the woman killed in the crash as 23-year-old Cori Sisti of New Cumberland.

Previously reported

One woman is dead and two other people were flown to Hershey Medical Center with injuries after their car collided with a moving train at a private crossing north of York Haven late Saturday afternoon, Newberry Township police said.

The vehicle's three occupants were an unmarried couple and a child who had come from the Mechanicsburg area and were traveling to a gathering on the Susquehanna River, Newberry Township Sgt. Richard Rocco said.

The car drove over a private railroad crossing near the 1100 block of Cly Road about two miles north of York Haven around 4:45 p.m. and was struck on its passenger side by a northbound Norfolk Southern train, Rocco said. The car was pushed 45 yards down the tracks and came to rest on its side in the grass on the east side of the train tracks, which run parallel to the Susquehanna River.

"With a simple look left or right, you can see the train coming," Rocco said of the crossing.

The parking lot surrounding the scene of the crash was packed with cars as people were spending the day recreating around the river.

Suzanne Kohr, who lives nearby, said she did not see the crash, but saw the young child, who police said was about 2 years old, being taken away from the scene. Rocco said the child was awake and conscious when taken from the scene.

Police, along with the help of Norfolk Southern investigators, were recreating the incident after the coroner pronounced the adult woman had died at the scene.

It was not immediately clear how fast the train was moving, but according to Dave Pidgeon, manager of public relations with Norfolk Southern, trains in that corridor are allowed to travel 40 mph.

The train, Pidgeon said, had left from Lancaster and was heading to Harrisburg. It is 2,903 feet long and weighs 1,506 tons. All 45 of its freight cars were empty, Pidgeon said.

Pidgeon said he could not comment on how fast this particular train had been moving.

Rocco said police received verbal confirmation the train had blown its whistle. There are no flashing lights or gates at the crossing.

The requirements for warning systems at private and public railroad crossings are managed differently, Pidgeon said.

At private crossings like the one where the incident occurred, implementation of signs and gates, as well as if and when the train blows its whistle, are worked out between the owner and railroad company, Pidgeon said.

Trains are federally mandated to blow a whistle at public crossings where a train crosses over a road. The state Public Utility Commission determines warning devices at those crossings, Pidgeon added.

There is a railroad crossing sign where the crash occurred, but no flashing lights. About 100 yards south of the crash, at another crossing, there are lights.

Police did not know the conditions of the injured man and child. Their names had not been released pending notification of family.

The train remained on the tracks as investigators recreated the incident. Pidgeon said Norfolk Southern would consider re-routing trains on schedule to pass through the area.

"We want to serve our customers, but what's important is cooperating with the investigation," Pidgeon said.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital to determine the manner of death for the woman, according to York County Deputy Coroner Claude Stabley.